I'm grateful to the great number of amazingly talented, resourceful, funny and gracious women I have had the great pleasure of interviewing and chatting with over the summer of 2006.  Each visit gave me something additional to add to my fictional storyline and every 'real' woman's account of her experience as a war bride inspired me to write a script that has blossomed because of the graciousness of these ladies--'my girls' as I have come to call them.  Although the average age of these women is now 82 years, the stories of their time as young women falling in love with Canadian servicemen during World War Two became so real to me that I have come to think of them as they were 60 years ago:  young, vibrant women (a few of them barely more than girls at the time).

While I thank everyone for wanting to be a part of the show, I have written the script and the casting is complete.  We are now in the midst of rehearsals, preparing for the performances.  At this stage, I am no longer able to take time to interview additional war brides for their stories so that they may somehow inspire events in the show.  If you are a war bride or know of a war bride, I look forward to meeting with you after this production ends (final performances are December 2, 2006) I have an additional warbride project turning the wheels in my mind as a result of the work I've put in to OPERATION DADDY, but I'm not in a position to work on anything but this musical production the present time.   

15 years ago my war bride Grandmother died in a car accident while returning from a weekend-long Canadian Naval reunion with my Grandfather.  She was always a huge supporter of me, I always felt that she loved me unconditionally for who I am and the great things she believed I could achieve.  I miss her greatly, and it seems that the stories I've read in books and online from other war brides makes me feel as if I've got her back briefly.  The stories are all so different--and yet the same. 

How did you meet your Canadian husband?  How was the courtship, the wedding, the journey to Canada?  Were there surprises you discovered upon arriving here? How did you handle being without communication from your friends and family back home? How were you treated by Canadians when you first moved here? How did our young Canadian women regard you?  Did you gain any special friendships?  Oh yes!!!!---was there a SPECIAL SONG that still reminds you of that time and place when romance was so spontaneous and (almost) hurried?  The song choice is something I have particular interest in, you see, since this is, after all, a musical!  :>)

Email is fastest...or snail mail is just as good if that's what you prefer!  Please be patient:  Because of personal and production demands I may not be able to pursue any additional war bride "leads" until January 2007.  I thank you all for your interest and passion for this project!